By Richard Thomas Rating: B- In my mind, certain types of releases mark a transition point for any new distillery, and putting out a Bottled in Bond is certainly the clearest milestone one sees today. Although people tend not to think of Willett as either a mid-sized distillery or a new one, since the family has had a sizable presence ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B Found near the Mid-Western stretch of the Mississippi River, Iowa’s Mississippi River Distilling Company (MRDC) has a knack for small, limited edition runs that put a twist on their staple whiskeys. Among their more recent releases was a foray into a new trend in whiskey: sending used barrels to a brewery for use in making ...

By Father John Rayls Rating: B At first glance, it struck me as peculiar that I would be the one chosen to review this particular product. While it’s true that I really enjoy a good Irish Whiskey, I do not consume mixed drinks or cocktails that often (my Irish Mule notwithstanding). Compounding things is that my wife drinks almost no ...

By Father John Rayls Rating: B+ I was cruising the “bottom-shelf” at a local liquor warehouse when I discovered a nondescript bottle of bourbon listed for under 25 bucks. The bottle appeared generic and the label did nothing to draw any attention, but I had found Lazy River Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey nonetheless. I had never heard of it. Apparently, ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B- These days in America, micro-distilleries with a nostalgic story of a family reviving their whiskey-laden legacy are a dime a dozen. Some of these tales are mere marketing buzz, but some are authentic both in the people and the legacy, and one of the latter is Nelson’s Greenbrier in Tennessee. The historic Nelson’s Greenbrier Distillery ...